


I See You

by 0Amyxx



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 12:36:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1305094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0Amyxx/pseuds/0Amyxx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If love is blind then perhaps a blind person who loves has a better understanding of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 Pure black nothingness. It was the only visual scene he could determine, the only colour he could experience; ever since birth. He always wondered and pondered and _dreamed_ of what it would be like to see the endless range of shades available in this world; blues and greens and yellows and browns all crammed into one huge spherical shape in which people gazed at every passing moment without a second thought. In which people believed that the astounding gift of sight was a right rather than a privilege. How ungrateful. How utterly wasteful.

 Although, he supposed that that was what made every single person human; no one knew the value of what they had until it was cruelly taken from them, only then would they ever truly understand what it meant to be able to see, hear, taste, touch… _live._ Yet Naruto had never had the pleasure of being able to see. And whilst that did not make him feel as if something was taken from him because he had never known what vision was like to begin with, days like today; on cold and empty and lonely days like today, he wished…prayed so damn _hard_ that he had been born normal, without defect. Without the smouldering veil that concealed the worlds wonders from his eyes.

 These thoughts swirled through his mind as he walked down the near enough empty street, guide dog in hand, coat tightly pulled against his form to allow protection from the biting wind. It had been an extremely long day at the company where he worked and all he wanted to do now was enter his warm home, make the sweetest and most calorific hot-chocolate that burned his throat on the way down and curl up in a ball on his bed.  It sounded like utter heaven to him. The perfect escape.                     

 Forgetting his problems was an everyday task for the young man; an everyday struggle to flee the dark, endless reality that had unfolded into his life. It was almost an impossible feet and yet to this day Naruto had accomplished it; putting aside at least an hour a day to focus on himself and the things he loved to do or relaxing, rather than dwelling on work or the suffocating despair that forever curled within him.

 Sniffling from the icy breeze that cut into his clothed skin like needles, amplified only by the heightened sensitivity of his skin, Naruto wondered why everyone in his life always left him. Alone. Solitary. Unloved. True his parents, Kushina and Minato, would always be there for him, no matter the situation, no matter the issue, no matter how mediocre or how large the problem, they would always comfort him and protect him. Offering him warmth and security and childlike smothering.

 However, both of his most precious people in the entire world were not in the same country as he; Naruto had moved to America straight after he graduated and had been offered a job at a small company that translated normally worded books into brail. Kushina and Minato had both stayed in Japan after Naruto’s insisting. He did not want them to abandon their lives nor feel obligated to join him due to his disability, he wanted them to be free and happy and have their own experiences as they had allowed him to as a child. But that love, that maternal, pure, _family love_ was not the thing Naruto needed right now.

 Right now Naruto needed a lover. Needed someone to chase away the loneliness in his heart. Needed someone to stay by his side. Needed someone who would never even dream of abandoning him. Right now, Naruto needed the type of love that was romanticised in fairy tales and sought after by every living being; the type of love that would leave his soul burning and yearning and _begging for more_. Whilst he knew such thoughts were ridiculous and almost naïve in their assumption, it did not stop him from dreaming; from wanting.

 Sighing quietly to himself as he reached his small house, Naruto slowly lowered his hand to pet his guide dog, Kurama and his fingertips tingled when the soft fur made contact with them; a feeling he was very much used to.

 He started in slight surprise when Kurama yapped happily and as he withdrew his hand from his petting to unlock his door, a small smile graced his features, chasing away his dark thoughts for a split second; his guide dog was the only stationary and permanent being in his life, every other lover and friend had left after realizing the extent of the work they needed to put in to help the blind man.            

 Although Naruto was perfectly content in taking care of himself, it was a different matter when in unfamiliar territory or living with another and he required extra assistance to do so. Many found this an arduous task and came to the conclusion that the blond man was not worth it. It was heart wrenching, soul destroying, absolutely fucking shattering when this happened; to this day Naruto had not become immune to the gut retching pain that consumed him as another loved one left him and walked out of his life permanently. Although, how could anyone become immune to such a reaction? It was only human nature after all.

 Warmth surrounded him, embraced him and fought off the chill that had worked through his bones as he walked through his door and closed it softly behind him; taking off Kurama’s lead and harness immediately afterwards so the Shiba Inu could curl up against the radiator to conserve heat. Shivers were racking the poor creature’s body beneath Naruto’s hands, yet he grinned playfully when the dog licked his cheek and in return he flicked Kurama’s cold nose.

 “Good boy. You did so well today.” He said affectionately, giving his head one last pat before rising up and making his way to the small, round coffee table on the left side of his hallway; even though he had memorized the position of household ornaments and furniture and knew exactly which rooms were where, he extended his arms slightly so his hands where in front of him. He really did not wish to bang into anything right now.

 Feeling the rounded edge of the table he set his keys down in the dish and then kicked off his shoes, placing them under the table and removing his winter coat, hanging it on the side hook.

 Silence echoed through the walls of his small home for a few moments before shuffling sounds reach Naruto’s hyper sensitive ears; he felt content in knowing that Kurama was trying to curl up in his spot beside the right kitchen radiator. It was a habit that the guide dog had picked up ever since he had come to live with Naruto, all those years ago. It warmed Naruto’s heart knowing that Kurama relied on him just as much as Naruto relied on Kurama, that he was not useless despite the fact he could not see.

 Making his way up the set of stairs his fingertips found the banister at the side and traced its edge as he walked, finding comfort and stability in its presents; his clothes felt dirty from a long day in the tiny office and they irritated his skin every moment that passed in which he did not change them. He needed to shower, adjust his attire so it was more comfortable and then make the hot chocolate he had been so desperately craving. And with that final thought, Naruto went ahead and did just that.

 

* * *

 

 

 With Kurama sat curled up at his side, his consciousness was becoming hazy and the inevitable claws of sleep where curling around his mind; Naruto’s head occasionally fell back against his sofa and jolted him out of the auditory dream he had begun to have. However this time it was not his body’s automatic reaction to sleep that awoke him from his daze, rather the loud ring of his phone and its vibrations; located to his left on a small coffee table.

 The deafening tone startled him and as he jumped, Kurama swiftly raised his head; ready to protect his master, ready to defend the only purpose he had in life. But Naruto felt Kurama’s movement and felt around lightly to pat his guide dogs head in order to comfort and relax the tense animal before tracing his fingertips across the tables surface and answering the annoying piece of technology.

 “…Hello.” Naruto said, his voice still husky with the aftermath of his nap.

 “Naruto! How’s my favourite employee?” a deep voice boomed on the other end of the line. A small grimace made its way across Naruto’s features, instantly awakening him fully as he realized just who was calling him.

 “I was fine until you called old man!” Naruto said. “What do you want, anyway?”

 An amused chuckle worked its way into his ears.

 “Can’t I ring up a hardworking, talented young man without having an ulterior motive?” Jiraiya asked, feigned innocence lacing every single word spoken.

 “…No.” Naruto said bluntly, his expression quickly turned into one of complete exasperation.

  A huff.

 “Fine fine, I’ll get straight to the point.” Jiraiya said. “I need you to come in 2 hours early tomorrow because of the work load; don’t worry you’ll be getting paid for your troubles.”

 “What!?” Naruto spluttered. “But I finished late today! Can’t you get someone else to do it instead of me?”

 “Sorry, Kiddo.” Jiraiya said. “No can do, everyone else is unavailable, it’s around this time of the year where everyone takes holidays. You’re the only person I have left to ask to finish the work.”

 Naruto sighed deeply as he realized that what his boss said was true, most people did take holidays around this time, it was coming up for Christmas and the weather was bitterly cold. Many wished to spend time with their families or escape winters icy claws. Though it did nothing to console him.      

 Bringing his free hand up to rub his unseeing eyes in frustration, a defeated look spread its way across his face; there was nothing that could be done, Jiraiya had requested his presents and he was obligated to accept. Plus extra money would be a nice reward for the hard work he had been investing in the company lately.

 “All right, I’ll be there for seven.” Naruto said. “I better get a full bonus this time old man! No trying to get around it!”

 Not even waiting for Jiraiya to reply to his ranting he clicked one of the brailed buttons on the phone, successfully ending the call, and gently lowered it back onto the coffee table. Naruto knew tomorrow would be a tiresome day, perhaps even more so than today had been and he could not help but dread the long hours he had agreed to work for; his only consolation was that hopefully, his boss would allow him multiple breaks.

 With one last sigh and a small pat to Kurama’s head, he drifted off into an image deprived sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

 The night before, flakes of the purest snow had fallen to the ground and collected together on the earth’s surface, creating a blanket of icy comfort. To many people it was of the highest inconvenience. However Naruto loved the snow, he adored the feel of its chill between his fingertips, he basked in the crunching sound it created as his boots broke the soft exterior, yet most of all he loved to think of the possibility of one day being able to see the world in all its glory; snow being the first thing he would look upon. A friend had once told him that the colour of snow was the exact opposite of the dark abyss that forever clouded his vision and since that day his curiosity had peaked. Was it really that bright? Was it a colour that created warmth within the person looking at it? Or did it create a more hollow feel, just as the darkness did?

 Kurama also enjoyed the change in weather and Naruto could almost feel the excitement the dog kept bottled up running along the lead he held; a feeling of admiration pooled in his stomach because Naruto knew that Kurama would never deviate from his given task - walking Naruto to work. There was a bounce in his step though. And the blond man could not help but smile. Despite being called into work early. Despite having to wake up with icy daggers penetrating his skin due to the heating not turning on automatically; Naruto smiled. It was the small things in life he took pleasure in and many would say that it was the result of his blindness but Naruto had been raised to appreciate every detail present within his existence and he hardly ever took feelings and scents and sounds and words for granted. He was just blessed with that type of personality.

 The snow continued to make that delicate crunching sound as he walked and the blond knew that there were not many people about at this time in the morning; going from the undisturbed snow there were not many people about at all. Perhaps it was oxymoronic of him but Naruto loved the solitude, with just Kurama at his side and the quiet whistling of an icy breeze combing the trees leaves, he felt at peace; which was strange given the fact he craved company most days of his life.

 When his guide dog barked he knew he had finally arrived at his destination and he brought his free hand to his wrist to feel exactly what time it was on his tactile watch; even though it had been a gag gift for his birthday from Jiraiya, he still wore it and it came in very useful most days.

 Seven o’clock exactly. Right on time.

 Grinning to himself as he stepped into the revolving doors, Kurama in front, his guide dog led him to the elevator located 10 feet to the left of the reception desk; no greeting reached his ears so he assumed that it was too early for most of the employees to have arrived yet.

* * *

  Jiriaya’s office was located on the 4th floor directly opposite his own; it helped that his boss was also his godfather and his parents had told Jiraiya specifically to keep an eye on Naruto after he had offered the blond man the job; to which Naruto had gratefully accepted.

 First, tugging to the left on Kurama’s lead, he followed the guide dog into his own office and took off his winter coat and hat before crouching down, calling Kurama to him and petting the dog on his head.

 “Stay here, boy. I won’t be a minute.” Naruto said affectionately and in response he could feel Kurama panting on the skin of his arm; he nearly laughed at the warm sensation but settled for a small grin before rising off the floor.

 Despite being bind and unable to see obvious things that other people did, Naruto did not consider himself an invalid; he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself in familiar territory and a lifetime of endless darkness had taught him to have an excellent memory. He knew exactly where everything within his work building and home was, all he needed to do was trace his fingers along certain surfaces to create a map within his mind. He did not need Kurama for every single task and that was the reason he made his way to Jiriaya’s office on his own; some days he just needed to prove to himself that he was still capable.

 Slowly making his way to the opposite end of the hall, his fingers found his godfathers door and he lowered them toward the doorknob; not even bothering to knock. The aroma of coffee filled his nostrils and he wrinkled his nose in slight disgust, Naruto had always been a tea person and had never remotely cared for coffee.

 “Naruto, my boy!” Jiraiya boomed. “Glad you could make it on time.”

Although Naruto willed a grimace to form across his features he could not help but grin at his god fathers enthusiasm.

 “As if I had much choice, old man!” Naruto said. “Now, what work do you have for me?”

“As blunt as ever, I see.” Jiraiya said, his statement coupled with a roll of his eyes. “Here, hold out your arms.”

 Following the man’s suggestion, Naruto placed his hands palm up and moments later he felt a pile of tapes gently deposited into his hands as well as a few books at the top of his arms.

 The company where Naruto worked was a publishing company that specialised in the creation of all types of books. Granted it was small compared to their neighbouring companies; Hyuuga Industries and Uchiha Corporations however Naruto adored being employed at Sannin Inc. The floor he worked on specialised in translating books into braille and then publishing them for a wider audience. And whilst his grandfather was to thank for the idea, it was Naruto who actually completed most of the work, being blind himself had forced him to learn the dotted language from a very young age and he was extremely adapted to complete his job to the best of his abilities. Since he obviously could not read books, Jiraiya put them onto audio for him to listen to and translate as he went along.

 “But this is gonna take me forever.” Naruto whined, his lips pulled down into a small frown. “Do you have any idea how long it takes me to finish one story? And there’s got to be about ten here!”

Even though Jiraiya knew Naruto could not see the amused expression on his face, he correctly assumed that the blond could hear it within his voice.

 “Well then, you better get to it Naruto! I have a meeting in a few hours anyway, so I couldn’t possibly do all this work.” He said, grinning widely as Naruto replied with a quiet grumble.

* * *

 

 A deep sigh was released as Naruto fisted his hands into his hair, clearly portraying how exhausted he felt after four hours of none stop work. He had only managed to complete five out of the 10 audio books that had been given to him but his ears where ringing and his eyelids kept closing gradually the more he forced himself to concentrate. Tea was now very much a necessity. As was rest. He needed a break from the bottomless list of work he had to accomplish by the end of the day.

 For a long while he had not heard a pant, nor a bark, nor any type of movement from Kurama and jealousy curled within his stomach upon realizing that the dog must have dozed off into a peaceful nap; his guide dog leaving him wasn’t even a possibility so Naruto knew Kurama was still situated within his office. As he pushed back his chair, stood and stretched, Naruto collected the sheets that contained his completed stories and stacked them one on top of the other. The small computer on his desk, which consisted of six keys to correspond to the six dots of braille and a spacebar, allowed him to type braille directly into a black document and then print it out from the printer located beside it; he found it extremely handy, time saving and rather flattering that Jiraiya had purchased it for him.

 As Naruto made his way around the desk with his free hand beside him, fingers outstretched and tracing the edge of the wood, Naruto walked swiftly to the door and gently opened it among feeling the shape of the doorknob. He knew he probably should have taken Kurama with him just in case, yet Naruto could not bring himself to awaken the poor dog. He worked so hard. Catered to every need that Naruto’s visual impairment stopped him from fulfilling and Naruto could not interrupt his much needed rest just to guide him to a room he could walk to on his own. The blond was not that cruel.

 Lost in his own thoughts, Naruto did not fully hear Jiraiya’s door open until it was too late, nor did the deep and smooth voice that bid his godfather a ‘Good Afternoon’ reach his ears until after he slammed into the person who had uttered the well-mannered sentence. Being unprepared for the collision Naruto fell back. His papers went flying across the floor. His head bashed against the stone-polished ground and for a split second overwhelming panic filled his remaining senses as disorientation began set in from the harsh and unsuspecting fall.


	3. Chapter 3

 For a moment time stood completely still. Naruto willed himself to focus on his remaining sense’s and breathing in deeply to halt the panic that rose within him; it wasn’t so much the fact that being blind caused him to feel vulnerable that created such a reaction but rather, he disliked being taken by surprise and shocked unpleasantly.

 As he slowly sat up, Naruto brought his hand up to the back of his head to rub the spot that had collided with the stone floor, a small grimace formed on his features at the pain he felt when he soothed it. Due to him not hearing any shuffling from the person he had crashed into, he assumed the man had not fallen or moved from the spot outside of Jiraiya’s door and his expression turned sheepish when he realized it had been his own fault for not listening for anyone in front.

 “I’m really sorry!” Naruto said, focusing his vacant eyes to the area in front of him where he hoped the man was. “I didn’t hear you open the door.”

 A pause.

 “That’s quite alright.” The same smooth voice said, gradually increasing in volume which made Naruto conscious of the fact the man was moving closer to him. “It was partly my fault for not looking where I was going.”

 The man’s tone of voice was deep and pure, it reminded Naruto of wind chimes on a blustery day that gently coaxed you into a relaxed state, mixed with a type of courtesy he had only ever heard from a select few important people within his life. Interesting. Even though Naruto could not see the man’s expression nor gouge his reaction, he could easily detect the sincerity behind the fluid words; it caused a small grin to replace the embarrassed look his face had once held.

 “Allow me to help you up.”

 The sentence had been uttered from directly in front of him and Naruto almost flinched in slight surprise, not realizing that the man had moved that close to him; however, Naruto concluded that this man had most probably outstretched his hand for the blond to take and so he raised his own and felt around the air for a few seconds before the two appendages brushed.  

 He was pulled up gently and when the man let go Naruto was rather disappointed; the hand was warm but not so much that it had become sweaty, it was soft and almost delicate in its feel suggesting that the man most probably came from a rich family or had a job of large income so he did not have to partake in regular manual labour. The blond missed it encasing his own almost immediately. And in response to his thoughts, his face began to warm.

 “Thanks.” Naruto murmured. “So…erm – I never got your name.”

 Although the blond would never say what he was thinking out loud, he was quite astonished as well as grateful that the man had not commented on his obvious blindness as of yet; when meeting new people, Naruto could almost feel the uncomfortable aura radiating around them as they either asked him outright or subtly inquired as to the reason he could not see. They asked about what had happened to him. Commented on how ‘terribly awful’ it must be for him. Their pity was something he could barely tolerate and it became exhausting to converse with these kinds of people; yet this man seemed different. Completely and _utterly different._

 “No, I don’t recall giving it to you.” The man said, amusement saturating every word spoken. “It’s Itachi.”

 Naruto’s eyes widened and he almost let a shocked sound escape from his lips. “Itachi?...Uchiha Itachi?”

_That would explain the hand._

 He had heard from many a people that the Uchiha brothers, who owned and ran the neighbouring publishing company, Uchiha Corporations, were a sight to behold; from the conversations he had overheard they had described them as absolute _Adonis’s_ with dark hair that rivalled the night sky when no stars where present, pale flawless skin and eyes so deep that you could lose your very soul to their beauty if you locked gazes with them.  Oh, how Naruto wished he could be granted the pleasure of seeing the man in front of him. It was times like these that he cursed his disability to the highest calibre.

 “That’s correct.” Itachi said. “Although, I would appreciate you just calling me Itachi, anything else makes me feel unbelievably old.” His voice was laced with a warm, almost teasing, undertone and it made Naruto grin in response; his tanned hand made its way to the back of his neck.

 “Sounds reasonable.” Naruto said. “And I’m Naruto by the way, Naruto Uzumaki.”

 “Yes, Jiraiya-San informed me that you worked on this floor.” Itachi stated. “He also told me that you’re his godson.”

 Naruto blinked his unseeing eyes before replying to Itachi’s statement.

 “Godson or not, I swear that old man works me to the bone!”  Naruto growled, before he remembered that all of his papers and work, that had taken him a full four hours to complete, were strewn across the cold floor. He almost sighed in exasperation as he knew that it would take him a while to gather all of the pieces and even longer to put them back in order again, Naruto was just thankful that he had numbered each page in the top corner, making it easier for him to identify the order they were placed in originally.

 As if reading his thoughts or perhaps it was more to do with the fact that Naruto wore his emotions so openly on his face, Itachi spoke.

 “I apologize for ruining your work.” He said seriously before gracefully crouching down and picking up Naruto’s papers. Itachi gazed at the braille filled pages in barely-concealed awe; only moments before he had been discussing a possible partnership between Sannin Inc. and Uchiha Corp. with Jiraiya; he had taken an especially deep interest in the department that translated normal books into braille as he had never seen such work before.

 “No no…honestly it wasn’t your fault!” Naruto assured. “And I’m sure my works not ruined, it’s just not in order anymore.” A grin once again wormed its way onto the blond’s face as Itachi took Naruto’s hands and held them open before gently placing the papers on top of them.

“Thanks.” Naruto said.

 There was a pregnant pause between both parties.

 Naruto desperately wanted to ask the Uchiha if he would be willing to accompany him for some tea in the canteen, it had been so long since he had had company with another outside of his family and he felt almost infatuated with Itachi’s presence. The young man held a certain aura about him that commanded respect yet at the same time gave it freely to everyone who surrounded him. It was a rather charming trait. But Naruto was unsure how well his request would go down; what if Itachi did not want to spend time with him? He had only just met the man after all and not to mention the fact that Naruto had barged straight into him; it was not the blond’s most graceful first impression.

 “Well,” Itachi began, “as it happens I was just on my way to the canteen for a warm drink. I don’t suppose you would be willing to join me? It’s the very least I can do.”

 The calmly spoken inquire hung in the air as Naruto’s breath caught; Itachi was asking the blond to accompany him? Itachi actually wanted to continue their conversation? This was not something Naruto had expected to happen, however he was not about to refuse the Uchiha’s company nor the offer of a warm drink.

 “Sure!” Naruto said, trying to keep the excitement from leaking into his voice. “Just let me give these to Jiraiya, before the old man gives me a lecture on handing them in on time!”

 “We certainly wouldn’t want that.” Itachi said evenly, though the teasing undertone was not lost on the blond and his face warmed in response to the Uchiha’s words; although Naruto could not, for the life of him, explain why it had happened. “I’ll wait for you here; I’m sure you’re curious as to why I was meeting with your godfather. Perhaps we could discuss it after you put those on his desk.”

 Naruto gave a small nod in the direction to which he believed Itachi to be. The Uchiha was right, he was indeed curious and had wanted to ask when Itachi had mentioned that Jiraiya had told him about Naruto being his godson, yet somehow he had managed to hold his tongue; maybe now he would get his answers. Naruto always was a curious boy.

 With one hand outstretched in front of him and the other supporting his papers, Naruto sidestepped Itachi and slowly walked to Jiraiya’s door; he stopped upon hearing Itachi speak, in that smooth deep voice of his, out loud.

 “I do hope they have nice tea.” He stated softly.

 A dazzling grin began to develop on Naruto’s lips and his cheeks almost hurt at how wide it was; although it was not necessary for him to do so as he was unable to see the Uchiha, Naruto half turned so his vacant orbs where focused in Itachi’s direction.

 “Believe me,” Naruto said, “it’s the best.”


	4. Chapter 4

 “Maybe I should have brought Kurama…” Naruto mumbled to himself as he rubbed the spot on his thigh that had, unintentionally, bashed into one of the cafeteria’s tables. He winced slightly after rubbing the sore area before extending his arms and feeling around for a free seat at one of the table’s; Itachi had gone to collect the tea after insisting that it was his own fault for bumping into Naruto and therefore he should be the one to buy it. Naruto had protested of course, but the Uchiha was rather stubborn and would not accept no for an answer. And who was Naruto to refuse a warm drink of the finest tea he had ever tasted? The thought was almost inconceivable.

 On the small journey down to the buildings café, Itachi had explained to Naruto the reason behind his meeting with Jiraiya; coincidentally, the Uchiha had been on his way to meet Naruto before the blond boy had collided with him. Naruto had listened intently.

 Both the Uchiha and Jiraiya had been meeting for some time now, to discuss a possible partnership between their section of Sannin inc. and Itachi’s business, Uchiha Corporations; although, both men believed it polite to discuss the merger with Naruto as he was the one completing most of the work and also second in command to Jiraiya. Hence the reason for Itachi making his way to Naruto’s office.

 Naruto sighed as he raised his arm, laid his elbow on the table and cupped his cheek; he could still hear Itachi’s smooth, silk-like voice looping through his mind. It forced the small hairs, located on the back of his neck to stand on end, created a swirling sensation in the pit of his stomach that made him want and crave and absolutely _yearn_ for the sweet melody that flowed out of the Uchiha’s lips. Itachi’s voice was utterly hypnotic, yet simultaneously it was reassuring, understanding, sharp and charming…It made Naruto’s head spin with need and despite that, he had no idea as to what the Uchiha looked like. It was positively infuriating.

 The calm voice that had consumed his thoughts only seconds ago brought him out of his revere.

 “I hope you don’t mind, Naruto, but I brought you the same tea as my own.” Itachi said. “Perhaps I got a little overexcited at the fact your café actually sells Sencha.” A small chuckle followed his statement and a fast bolt of the most delicious electricity shot up Naruto’s spine in response to the sound; he wanted to hear that soft tune repeatedly, wanted to feel the pleasant shivers that flowed through his body as a result of that soft tune.

 A small ‘thunk’ made Naruto start slightly before he realized that Itachi had placed his tea in front of him and was, most probably sitting opposite him waiting for a response.

 “It’s okay.” Naruto grinned. “Sencha’s one of my favourites too; it reminds me of my dad, he always used to make it when I was back at home…” As Naruto’s sentence trailed off, he ran his fingertips along the table in front of him and located the warm mug of tea; raising it too his lips slowly, he sipped at the molten liquid and relished in its bitter flavour as a serene expression passed over his face. It was an acquired taste, yet nonetheless enjoyable for the blond male.

 Naruto’s vacant eyes lit up like a new born star, sizzling and crackling and _burning_ in pleasure; they contained a certain dazzling quality to them and the only physical object that they could be compared to were ice glaciers with rays of sunshine reflecting throughout their depths. Itachi thought they were the most beautiful pair of orbs he had ever laid eyes upon.

 Placing both elbows on the table and entwining his fingers in front of his mouth he regarded Naruto, taking in every feature, every minute detail that had been painted so perfectly onto the boy; his short, shimmering golden hair that framed his tanned face so precisely, the small marks lined across his cheeks that gave Naruto an exotic appearance, his dainty nose that only accentuated the full lips pulled into a warm grin.

 This blond man intrigued him. Captured his attention so absolutely that Itachi was powerless to stop himself become ensnared by Naruto’s words and actions and habits; he wanted to know all about the blond. Everything. Down to the last insignificant detail. It did not even matter to him that Naruto could not see, his blindness neither added to his unique beauty nor took away from it, it was simply a feature that came with Naruto; nothing more nothing less. It did not define him.

 Clearing his throat softly, Itachi unfolded his fingers and gracefully took a sip of his own tea before speaking.

 “If you don’t mind my asking,” Itachi began calmly, “where exactly is home?”

Naruto paused in his tea-drinking as Itachi’s enquiry reached his ears; he could not help the small amount of surprise that ran through him upon hearing the question. Itachi actually wanted to know more about him? Itachi _Uchiha_ actually wanted to listen to him speak about himself and his past?

 “Well, I was originally from Japan. I moved here around 6 months ago because the old man offered me a job in the company; my parents are still living back in Japan though.” Naruto replied. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit them soon…” he added softly as an afterthought, once again bringing his tea to his lips and sipping at the liquid the mug held.

 Itachi gave a small noise of acknowledgement after remembering that Naruto could not see his slight nod; it was quite obvious from the dull tone of Naruto’s voice and the nostalgic expression planted on his face that he missed his family greatly and although Itachi empathized with Naruto’s situation, his own parents being in a separate country also, he had become accustomed to looking out for himself and watching over his younger brother from an early age so he could not fully understand how Naruto was feeling. Nevertheless he accepted the fact it must be difficult to be separated from the people you love the most, if it had been him and Sasuke, Itachi did not know how he would cope.

 “How about you, Itachi?” Naruto asked warmly, his expression returning to a small smile as he broke Itachi out of his thoughts.

 A moment of silence.

 “Like you, I was born in Japan,” Itachi began smoothly, his words flowing like honey, “However, I moved to America with my family when I was sixteen; they owned the business here you see and wanted me and Sasuke to take over when I became old enough.” Sipping his tea as he finished, Itachi took in Naruto’s smile and unsuccessfully tried to will away the flurry of butterflies it created within his stomach. How could someone he had known for less than two hours have this effect upon him?

 “Sasuke? That’s your brother right?” Naruto asked as he finished off the last of his tea.

 “Yes, he is.” Itachi said affectionately. In response to this new tone, a smile spread across Naruto’s face as he detected the love Itachi held for his younger sibling; being an only child Naruto had always wished to know how it felt to have a brother or sister; someone able to chase away the unbearable loneliness. Someone to stick by you throughout your entire life and, in a non-romantic sense, become the other side to your coin.

 Suddenly becoming conscious of the fact that he had a pile of work sitting on the desk within his office, just screaming to be completed, Naruto heaved a sigh and felt his watch for the dots that indicated the time.

 Almost two o’clock. How utterly annoying.

 “I’m really sorry, Itachi but I have to get back to work. Jiraiya will kill me if I don’t get his audio books finished by today.” Naruto said, an apologetic smile graced his features and disappointment curled within him upon realising he would have to forfeit Itachi’s company for the sake of work. Oh, how completely and utterly annoying.

“Of course, Naruto. I apologize for distracting you.”

 “Not at all, it was a nice distraction…” Naruto said, his cheeks slightly warming as his hand rose to scratch the back of his neck.

 The way Itachi spoke his name sent tremors through the blond boy, he pronounced it so beautifully that Naruto had trouble believing that the Uchiha was real. How could any, one human being be so perfect? Taking a deep breath, Naruto took a chance, a stupidly wonderful and fulfilling chance.

 “Maybe we could, erm, uh…do this again sometime…?” he stammered out, his tanned cheeks only becoming warmer after the sentence was uttered.

 A light chuckle reached his ears and he almost retracted what he had said upon thinking that the Uchiha was poking fun at him, refusing him outright, and telling him subtly that he would never want to see the blond again, let alone have another drink with him.

 This, however, was not the case at all.

 “I look forward to it, Naruto.” Itachi said softly. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other as both our companies merge.”

 Feeling both relief and joy spread through him, the blond willed himself not to let it show across his expression and instead gave a small nod and a grin. Naruto stood slowly and heard Itachi imitate his actions; he was quite looking forward to seeing the Uchiha again and only hoped that it would be sooner rather than later.

 “Oh, I almost forgot, please forgive me…” Itachi said as he walked around the table and gently took Naruto’s hand in his own; he turned it so the blond’s palm was facing upwards and placed a piece of paper inside of Naruto’s hand, closing it immediately afterwards. “I’m sure Jiraiya would be happy to read the numbers aloud for you, feel free to call me sometime Naruto.” Itachi said smoothly, before giving Naruto’s tanned hand an inconspicuous stroke with his elegant finger and walking off gracefully, leaving behind the blond male with burning cheeks in his wake.


	5. Chapter 5

 A few days after meeting Itachi Uchiha, Naruto could still not focus nor think on any other subject; his thoughts were filled of melodic words and sensual touches that only added to his growing infatuation with the man. The way Itachi spoke his name, the way the ‘R’s’ rolled off of his lips like dark promises, made Naruto’s heart beat multiple times faster than its regular pace and turned him on like no other voice, or feeling could. His mind had become almost unusable for anything other than thinking of Itachi; Naruto wanted to pick him apart and see what made him tick, what he feared and hated and desired, what made him so down to earth and so considerate and polite even though he had a position of such _power._

 And yet he still had not built up the courage to ring Itachi.

 After their meeting over tea, Naruto had gritted his teeth and asked Jiraiya to read the words allowed, he had then proceeded to sit through his godfathers teasing with crossed arms and a red face; and even after all of the torture that he had willed himself to go through, Naruto could not build up the courage to ring the number. Many a times over the past few days he had come close to pressing the brailed button for ‘call’ however he had never quite followed through with his resolve.

 All throughout his life, Naruto had been extremely strong willed and whenever he wanted something so desperately, no matter the embarrassment or bashfulness he felt, he always charged forward with his heart held within his hands, a bright grin plastered across his cheeks and hope collected within his soul. But this situation was far different than any he experienced as a child or a teenager. Even though he was only in his early twenties, Naruto had felt pain and experienced the agony of abandonment; lovers and friends had left him without a second thought and no matter the personality or will of an individual, it was enough to subtly change any person. What if Itachi left him in the same manor? Perhaps he did not really see Naruto in that way and was only toying with him. What if he was rejected and cast aside? There were so many arguments and insecurities within Naruto’s consciousness that he did not know the answer anymore. He did not know the correct action to take.

 He heaved a sigh and frowned at his cowardice as he continued walking.

 That day Naruto had finished early at work and instead of going straight home to loneliness and isolation, he had decided to take Kurama through the park and sit and contemplate for a few hours. He thought that maybe the fresh air would clear his mind and ease his worries, however so far, it had not succeeded in its predicted goal. Kurama barked once, signalling that they had reached a bench and Naruto extended his hand out to trace the seat; sitting down a few seconds later.

 “What do you think I should do, Kurama?” Naruto mumbled to the dog seated at his feet.

 Kurama barked twice and Naruto started at the sudden noise, not expecting a reply.

He laughed. “I guess in dog language that means I should suck it up and call him, right?”

 A pause.

Then Naruto reached into his jacket pocket and traced the edge of his phone… should he do it? It was most definitely the perfect opportunity. He could ask Itachi to join him in the park, or offer him some tea back at his house. The only issue holding Naruto back was the uncertainty of rejection and whether Itachi would merely brush off his invitation.

  _Go on Naruto, call him! You have nothing to lose; he gave you his number for god’s sake!_ Naruto thought as he pulled out his phone.

_That’s got to mean something, hasn’t it?_

Taking a deep breath Naruto scrolled through his phone and listened to the audio tell him the names of each of his contacts. When the voice landed on Itachi’s, he pressed call.

 After the phone had rung three times, his palms were sweating and his frequent swallowing had increased, as well as his breathing. Though it did not make any difference, Naruto closed his eyes in an effort to calm the anxiety building within him.

 “Itachi Uchiha speaking.” A calm familiar voice echoed through Naruto’s ear.

 “Hey Itachi, its Naruto…you know from Sannin Inc? We had Sencha the other day…”

  “Good evening Naruto. I was hoping you’d call me soon.” Itachi said.

 Naruto licked his dry lips as a shiver racked his frame. _God_ , how smooth that sounded.

 “Yeah, I – Sorry about that, I meant to ring you sooner but I’ve been quite busy with work.”

 “That’s quite alright; you did say that Jiraiya worked you to the bone when we previously met.” Itachi said, and Naruto could almost hear the small, amused smile in his tone of voice. “So what can I do for you, Naruto?”

Naruto took in a breath.

 “Actually I was wondering if you wanted to meet up – If you’re free and haven’t got too much work on that is…” Naruto trailed off.

 “That sounds like an excellent idea, where exactly would you like me to meet you?”

 “Great! Err – You know the park, a couple of blocks away from your company?” Naruto asked, biting his lip to hold in the blinding grin that threatened to consume his whole face.

 “I do.”

 “I’m right at the end of it, sitting on one of the benches.”

 Shuffling was heard from the other line before Itachi spoke once again. “Very well, I’ll be there in around ten minutes.”

 “Okay, see you then!” Naruto said.

 “I look forward to it.” Itachi said softly before the line went dead.

 Naruto’s breath caught in his throat and what felt like millions upon millions of butterflies raced through his stomach as he lowered the phone. His blood boiled and his hands shook in absolute pleasure. Even Naruto’s teeth could not stop the grin from spreading across his cheeks; how was one man, one perfect, flawless man capable of drawing such emotions out of him?

 

* * *

 

 

Naruto sat in the same spot for, what felt to him like quite a while. He had unconsciously begun to pet Kurama’s head in an effort to calm his nerves. Naruto had to admit it did help, if only a little. As he took in the rustling of wind flowing through the trees and the distant, gleeful screams of children playing in the leftover snow, he heard someone approach.

 His suspicions about it being Itachi were confirmed when Kurama barked and his heart almost stopped for a second before leaping into a continuous frenzy. Naruto felt a warm hand gently settle on his shoulder in greeting before the voice that haunted him flowed through the air.

 “Evening Naruto.”

 “Itachi! Oh – here have a seat.” Naruto grinned and scooted a little to the left, pushing Kurama gently with his foot to follow his movements. The dog barked moodily at having been disturbed from its rest, however shifted to where Naruto now sat and lay down at his feet; a few seconds later, Itachi took the offer and sat down next to Naruto, removing his hand from the man’s shoulder.

 “What’s his name? I don’t believe we’ve met before.” Itachi said with a small smile, his eyes taking in the Shiba Inu’s red fur.

 “Kurama. I should have introduced you to him before, sorry.” Naruto said sheepishly, raising the hand, which was not clasping Kurama’s lead, to scratch his cheek.

 “It’s okay Naruto, we didn’t get a great deal of time together before.” Itachi said. “May I?”

 Immediately understanding what Itachi meant, Naruto leaned back so that he could reach Kurama. “Of course, be my guest. He’s very friendly.”

 As Itachi gently stroked Kurama’s fur the dog yipped happily and Naruto’s grin only grew. He had not felt this content in years.

 “Have you had him for very long?” Itachi asked, his smile obvious to Naruto in the tone of voice he used.

 “It’s coming up for about three years I think – Ever since I moved to America. It was Jiraiya who brought him for me actually, he said Kurama could help me navigate and stuff…” Naruto trailed off as he felt his face burn in shame and slight anger;  even though he had become used to it, Naruto hated having a disability that stopped him from doing everyday things with ease, more than anything he did not like bringing it up in conversation for fear of making the other individual uncomfortable. Tension was not something he wanted between him and Itachi.

 Unknown to him, Itachi had leaned back and was regarding him softly. He did not believe that Naruto’s blindness made him any different or any worse than the people he passed on the street, human beings where all the same inside, they all bled the same colour, all had the same genetics within their billions of cells, but many seemed to disregard and forget this simple fact.

 “I don’t think that you need to be ashamed Naruto. Your blindness does not define you – ” Itachi said quietly and reached forward gracefully to encompass Naruto’s clenched fist resting on the bench. “Everyone’s reality is different and no two lives are completely the same, however we all suffer hardships – that does not make us any less human or any less worthy than the people we meet daily.”

 Though Naruto would never admit it, small tears had begun to collect in the corners of his vacant eyes. Warmth spread through him like liquid fire after taking in Itachi’s words and he raised his head in the man’s direction. It felt so good to be told that he was exactly the same as others, that he was not an outcast just because he was missing one of his senses; it felt so good to be finally accepted by another. And as he wiped away the small tears with his sleeve, he graced Itachi with a smile that hitched the Uchiha’s breath and sped up his heart rate dramatically. Though he had never felt a connection before quite like the one that had begun to form with Naruto, Itachi immediately wanted to protect the other man from any and all harm that the world threw at him.

 “Thanks Itachi, it’s really good to hear someone say that…” Naruto said.

 “You’re more than welcome.”

 For a moment there was blissful and comfortable silence before Itachi spoke again in response to the chilly wind that bit at his skin.

 “Would you like to take a walk Naruto? We could go wherever you like – truthfully I’ve only been to this park once before, when Sasuke was very young.”

“Yeah, sure!” Naruto grinned and jumped to his feet. “My house is nearby if you wanted to come in for some warm tea…it’s getting kinda cold out here anyway.”

 Itachi smiled at the man’s enthusiasm, finding it incredibly endearing.

 “Tea sounds wonderful. I’m going to assume that you at least have some Sencha.” Itachi said, his tone light and mildly teasing.

 Naruto laughed warmly as Itachi rose to his feet.  “I don’t think it’s as good as the one in the cafeteria because that is imported directly from Japan; but still, you would assume correctly.”


	6. Chapter 6

 Their walk around the park was extremely comforting and uplifting for Naruto. From the beginning, he had known that Itachi was not a huge contributor to conversations, however they both created the perfect symphony as they walked; Itachi listened intently and chuckled and added his own views and experiences on occasion whilst Naruto dominated the conversation: talking and laughing and grinning. He spoke of his parents and his experiences back in Japan and what he had studied at University and how it had come to be that he had a job at Sannin Inc., throughout it all Itachi never interrupted Naruto once and gave him his full attention.

 He found the man completely fascinating and could not get enough of the information which Naruto was presenting him with. Ever since he was young Itachi had had a thirst for learning and increasing his knowledge beyond his years; it was hardly surprising that someone like Naruto had managed to capture his attention absolutely and completely in the first place. The experiences Itachi had gone through and facts about his life, which had once been so damn _difficult_ to tell another living soul about, for fear of them truly _knowing him,_ flowed so easily and so smoothly out of his lips that he hardly had a chance to blink before they were out in the open air. Truthfully, he did not regret a single word. There was something so refreshing about Naruto that Itachi could almost envision the threads attaching the two men together; binding them completely, with neither willing to halt the process. Itachi thought that Naruto was light personified. There was nothing else that could be compared to the young man.

 A peaceful acceptance settled in Naruto’s stomach that he had not felt in an extremely long time. And as they continued their conversation and walking, with Kurama leading the way, Naruto knew he had never before experienced emotions such as the ones he felt when in Itachi’s presence. In the past he had never believed in true love, he thought it to be a petty fantasy created by human beings whose loneliness had encompassed their souls, to the point where they had to believe that someday one particular person would ‘save’ them.

 However, now that he had met Itachi his feelings toward that specific topic had changed drastically; even though he had never _seen_ the man who walked beside him, he craved his presence, his words, his voice, his very soul. It was utterly addicting in the sense that Itachi made him believe in himself once again; made him feel human and worthy. Itachi made him feel special.

 Occasionally, as they slowly approached Naruto’s small house, Itachi’s hand would lightly brush Naruto’s own and a flurry of sensations would shoot up his arm, like ants crawling through his bones and tickling his very skin. His heart danced with every movement that Itachi made, every sound and every breath. Meeting with the Uchiha had not helped Naruto’s concentration in the slightest, in fact it had hindered it a thousand fold.

 Kurama barked once and then sat, pulling Naruto out of his thoughts and halting him half way through his speech; he was forced to stop and realized that they had finally made it to his home. Oh, how the time flew by whenever he spent it with Itachi. Sending a small grin in, what he presumed to be Itachi’s direction, Naruto then proceeded to take out the key from his pocket and extend his hand out in front of him. As he felt the door, he traced his finger-tips along its bumpy, wooden surface until he found the keyhole and swiftly unlocked it. Kurama ran inside and pulled him along to enter his warm home.

 Naruto knelt down and felt along Kurama’s harness to remove it, however he paused in his ministrations as he heard Itachi follow him inside, gently close the door behind him and speak in that smooth tone of his.

 “I didn’t realize you lived so close to where you work, Naruto,” Itachi said whilst taking in the calming nature of his inside layout.

 Naruto rotated his body so he was facing Itachi’s direction. “Yeah, it was Jiraiya who brought it for me in the first place; it felt kinda rude to say no…” He said as he gave Itachi a bright grin and scratched the back of his head.

 An affectionate smile caressed Itachi’s lips.

 “You have a beautiful home.”

 “Ahh – Thanks, I’ll show you around in a minute, just…hold on…” Naruto said trailing off as he turned back around. His brows furrowed as he desperately tried to concentrate on removing Kurama’s harness rather than thinking of the man, whom held Naruto’s heart in his palms, standing in the doorway and removing his shoes.

 Finally he slid it off of his guide dog and removed the lead; standing up he placed them on the small coffee table near where he was standing and turned so he was facing Itachi’s general direction.

 “Come on through to the kitchen – I’ll make us some tea before I give you the tour.”

 Itachi nodded. “Lead the way Naruto,” he said smoothly.

 The way Itachi spoke made goose bumps rise on Naruto’s entire form and shivers race down his spine like water gliding along the surface of his skin.

 As Naruto turned back and traced his fingertips along the walls, counting the steps it took to arrive at his small kitchen, he wondered what Itachi’s expression looked like. Countless times he had taken note of the smile’s present in Itachi’s voice and the soft gentle tone in which he spoke and addressed Naruto. Yet, he could not help but wonder what it would be like to fully lay eyes upon Itachi, to truly _see_ him and observe his reactions and emotions; there was one way in which he could, however he did not know how Itachi would react to such an unusual request. Naruto let out an inaudible sigh and cursed himself inwardly for his sudden lack of bluntness. 

 Arriving at the kitchen, Naruto made his way along the counter until he reached the kettle which had his selections of tea’s to the left of it.

 “Have a seat Itachi,” Naruto said with a small grin as he turned his head slightly and waved his left hand in the general direction of his small kitchen table.

 Unknown to him, Itachi had not been able to avert his eyes from Naruto. He found his actions to be captivating, Naruto laid his emotions so bare and so openly on his face, that Itachi could interpret them perfectly; he found it mesmerising.

 Taking Naruto’s offer he made his way over to the small table and gracefully sat down in one of the two chairs. Moments later Naruto turned to where Itachi was sat with a tray of two cups and a Kyusu which contained brewing Sencha tea. After he counted the steps to his table, Naruto gently placed the tray on top of its surface before sitting down in the seat opposite to Itachi. He was irrevocably grateful that Itachi had not offered to help him out of pity or some ingrained fear that Naruto may drop the tray due to his blindness. So many people, whom he had met, had offered him help in _every single_ miniscule task out of embedded sympathy; it was easy to deduce the fact that they believed Naruto to be so incompetent that he could not even look after himself properly. This, of course, was an outrages assumption. A downright lie.

 As he slowly poured the tea, Itachi’s melodic voice reached his ears once again and made them ring in pleasure.

 “Does no one else live here with you Naruto?” Itachi asked curiously; it was impossible for him to comprehend such a loving and attractive young man living alone with no spouse or relative residing in the same walls. Itachi truly believed that everyone needed human interaction constantly and not just that of co-workers; loneliness was one of the few things that completely devoured a soul and left it empty and unfeeling. Itachi was innately glad to have never felt such loneliness as he had always had Sasuke present within his life, however Naruto had no one.

 “Ahh – no, it’s just me…” Naruto said whilst finishing his pouring. “Sometimes I prefer my own space ya know? Besides I have Kurama.” His tone, whilst pleasant, wavered slightly and hints of melancholy traced the edges of his words. Carefully, Naruto took hold of one of the cups from the tray and slid it gently in Itachi’s direction; he gave a small nod at Itachi’s quietly stated gratitude.

 Itachi regarded him calmly for a few moments as he crossed his legs under the table and took hold of his tea, before a small frown pulled at his lips.

 “And what of the other times?” he inquired softly before taking a sip of his Sencha.

Unknowingly mimicking Itachi’s movements, Naruto hesitated for a brief moment as he set his cup back onto the table.

 “I – Well, I have Jiraiya…I suppose it’s not the same as having your whole family with you though and some days it does get lonely.”

 “Yes, I assume it would.” Itachi nodded. “Though I can’t completely understand what’s it like because I have Sasuke; growing up, my parents were hardly ever home.”

 Once again, Naruto sipped his tea and hummed in acknowledgement. “That must have been difficult for you and him…”

 “It was harder on Sasuke than myself,” Itachi said. “Speaking of which, I shall have to introduce you both soon…I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”  

 After finishing the last of his tea, Naruto chuckled warmly. “From what you’ve told me, I’m not so sure. Our personalities might clash a bit.” He said teasingly, to which Itachi responded with a gentle smile and a quiet laugh.

“Have you almost finished your tea?” Naruto asked after a small pause, holding out his hand in Itachi’s direction in case he had.

 “Thank you Naruto.” Itachi said as he passed the cup to him. Just as their skin brushed, a sensation close to butterflies fluttering across his skin shot up Itachi’s arm and for a moment time stood completely still and Itachi was left utterly breathless. He could do nothing but stare at the blond male seated opposite him and bask in his radiance. If he had been able to perceive individual souls, Itachi would have told anyone who asked, that Naruto’s was the purest and most holy of any he had encountered. He was the epitome of perfection.

 Unknown to him, Naruto had felt the tingling sensation that floated through him and could barely contain the trembles that followed. Though he had only known the Uchiha for a few short days, he was completely entranced with how Itachi made him feel, and he was slowly becoming as necessary to Naruto as oxygen. Perhaps it was this realization that forced him to utter his next words after lowering the cup and placing it on the tray.

 “Itachi,” Naruto began. “Do you think it would be okay if I – I mean, can I try to _see_ you?” he asked slightly hesitant, trying desperately to not showcase his minor excitement. He never usually resorted to this method of ‘seeing’ people and instead relied on other individuals description of that particular person, however ever since meeting Itachi he had been bursting with curiosity to know exactly how the Uchiha looked and expressed emotion. Naruto had only ever done this with people he knew particularly well and with his mother and father as the action itself could be rather awkward.

 Itachi blinked. And then seconds later the penny dropped within his mind and he knew exactly what Naruto was asking of him.

 “You wish to touch my face?” Itachi asked amused and only mildly teasing; in fact the very request doubled his heart rate and created the most pleasurable warmth within him. He felt it was an honour that Naruto had asked this of him.

 To conceal the warming of his cheeks, Naruto pouted and slightly turned his head to the side.

 “Well, fine…I won’t do it if you don’t want me to.” He said, trying to ignore the empty hole that had begun to spread throughout his entire being. He heard movement from the other side of the table and then footsteps that were heading in his own direction. Naruto’s breath caught in his throat and he gave a small jump when he felt a warm hand softly enclose his own.

 Itachi gave a small chuckle as knelt down at the side of Naruto’s chair so that their heights were almost level; not once did he remove his hand. “Of course you may, Naruto.” Itachi said softly, before he raised Naruto’s encompassed hand to his cheek and closed his eyes.

 Naruto forgot to think and act and breathe when Itachi released his hand, and a warm grin spread across his face in gratitude and excitement. Slowly raising his other hand he began to trace his fingertips along the Uchiha’s face.

 Itachi’s skin was soft, so soft that Naruto’s fingers glided along his cheeks and the small crevices of his cheek bones seamlessly. His first fingers touched Itachi’s eyelids and then slid down the small grooves beneath his eyes; gently Naruto raised his fingers to trace along his forehead and down Itachi’s nose. His face was just how Naruto had imagined it to be, smooth with no hard edges and so inconceivably beautiful that it was no wonder others fawned over him. Gliding down, Naruto’s thumbs reached Itachi’s lips and they slid lightly across before touching the upturned corners.

 Both Itachi’s and Naruto’s breathing subtly sped up and Itachi took hold of Naruto’s hands gingerly, easing them off of his face before he opened his eyes. Both dark orbs smouldered and burned as he looked at Naruto’s features and the grin that was spread across them. He could not contain himself any longer. Slowly he leaned forward.

 Naruto’s cheeks burned as he felt Itachi’s breath on his face, indicating that they were a mere feather away in proximity. He was frozen and nothing on earth had the power to move Naruto in that moment.

 “Forgive me if what I’m about to do is too forward.” Itachi whispered and Naruto could almost _feel_ the movement of his lips against his own. “You may stop me at any time, Naruto.”

 Itachi then lightly brushed his lips with Naruto’s and finally connected them.

 It was like rain in the middle of the night and the sound it made throughout a warm cosy room. It was like ice cream in summer and hot chocolate in winter and a thousand compliments being sent his way simultaneously. It was like fireworks and sparklers and glorious sins all mingled into one kiss. And Naruto could not get enough.

 Just as Itachi began to pull back and apologize, Naruto grasped the front of his shirt and pulled him forward so that their lips entangled once again; both felt as if their bodies had been consumed by fire. Itachi raised his hands to the back of Naruto’s hair and threaded his finger through the blond locks at exactly the same moment that Naruto raised his hands to Itachi’s face and rested them against his cheeks; cupping them gently.

 They consumed each other like oxygen and it was only when both were trembling and gasping for air did they pull away and resort to light pecks.

 “…Wow…” Naruto breathed, completely blown away by the flurry of sensations that racked his frame.

 “Indeed.” Itachi said, taking in as much air as he could before pecking Naruto’s lips once again.

 Rubbing his thumbs along the skin of Itachi’s cheekbones Naruto leaned forward so that their lips where touching and spoke.

 “Itachi,” Naruto said. “I see you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say I’m terribly sorry but I made a mistake in the previous chapter. Naruto said he had been living in America for 3 years however in the first chapter it was 6 months; this was entirely my fault and I’m so sorry. To clarify it is 3 years but I forgot to adjust it to that in the first chapter.   
> I hope you enjoyed it lovelies.


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